Topical Bible: Unbelief: All, by Nature, Concluded In

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Topical Encyclopedia

Unbelief, as a concept within the Christian faith, refers to the lack of faith or trust in God and His promises. It is a condition that affects all humanity due to the fallen nature inherited from Adam. The Bible presents unbelief as a fundamental issue that separates individuals from God, necessitating divine intervention for reconciliation.

Scriptural Basis

The Apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Romans, addresses the universality of unbelief and sin. Romans 3:9-12 states, "What then? Are we any better? Not at all. We have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin. As it is written: 'There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away; they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.'" This passage underscores the comprehensive nature of unbelief, indicating that all people, regardless of their background, are naturally inclined to reject God.

The Nature of Unbelief

Unbelief is not merely an intellectual assent or dissent but a deeper spiritual condition. It is the natural state of humanity post-Fall, as seen in Genesis 3, where Adam and Eve's disobedience introduced sin and separation from God. This inherent unbelief is further highlighted in Ephesians 2:1-3 , which describes humanity as "dead in trespasses and sins," following "the ways of this world" and "the ruler of the power of the air."

Consequences of Unbelief

The consequences of unbelief are severe, as it leads to spiritual death and eternal separation from God. Hebrews 3:12-13 warns, "See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God. But exhort one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness." This passage emphasizes the danger of a hardened heart, which results from persistent unbelief.

Divine Remedy

Despite the pervasive nature of unbelief, the Bible offers hope through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Romans 11:32 reveals God's plan: "For God has consigned all men to disobedience so that He may have mercy on them all." This verse indicates that while all are concluded in unbelief, God's mercy through Christ provides a way for reconciliation and faith.

Faith as the Antidote

Faith is presented as the antidote to unbelief. Hebrews 11:6 declares, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." Faith, a gift from God, enables individuals to overcome their natural state of unbelief and enter into a relationship with Him.

Role of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in overcoming unbelief. John 16:8-9 states, "And when He comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me." The Spirit convicts individuals of their unbelief, leading them to repentance and faith in Christ.

Conclusion

While unbelief is a universal condition, the Bible provides a clear path to overcoming it through faith in Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit. This transformation from unbelief to belief is central to the Christian experience, offering hope and eternal life to all who accept it.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Romans 11:32
For God has concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy on all.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Introduction to the Work, with Some Account of the Nature of ...
... come short of it," through our own unbelief or negligence ... some things necessarily
presupposed in the nature of this ... This is the woful case of all mankind since ...
/.../baxter/the saints everlasting rest/chapter i the introduction to.htm

Heavenly Contemplation Exemplified, and the Whole Work Concluded.
... though death itself be unwelcome to nature, yet thy ... thy church, by division, be all
crumbled to ... lest pride, hypocrisy, sensuality and unbelief prevail against ...
/.../the saints everlasting rest/chapter xvi heavenly contemplation exemplified.htm

"Which we have Heard and Seen,"
... of his disciples, because of their own unbelief, to inquire at ... him, and being his
eternal Son, all this must ... doctrine, and that of his divine nature, being one ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon iv which we have.htm

Salvation to the Jews
... is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a ... And so all Israel shall ...
believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: even so ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 35 salvation to the.htm

Thou Art the Man
... and of our conduct, we lose the power of fairly deciding upon the nature of our
own ... God, as the Apostle puts it, 'hath concluded all in unbelief, that He ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/thou art the man.htm

A Dialogue with God
... A superficial view of human history and of human nature may try to ... and freedom as
universal as the sin, and 'God hath concluded all in unbelief that He may ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/a dialogue with god.htm

That God is not the Cause of Evils.
... and this, God hath concluded them all in unbelief [2612] , and ... ears that they should
not hear [2613] , all these must ... it means what is evil by nature, and this ...
/.../john/exposition of the orthodox faith/chapter xix that god is not.htm

Questions About the Nature and Perpetuity of the Seventh-Day ...
... We read of fratricide, drunkenness, lying, unbelief, theft, idolatry ... Nature therefore
saw that, by a positive precept, or ... Nor doth this at all take away a whit ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/questions about the nature and.htm

It is an Inscrutable Mystery Why Some are Saved, and Others Not.
... which the apostle says, "For we too were once by nature the children ... marvellous depth,
when he said: "For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that He ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 29 xxi it is an.htm

The Consensus of Geneva. AD 1552.
... alike created in God's image and for salvation, and are by nature the sons ... will have
all men to be saved, and that 'he concluded all in unbelief, that he ...
/.../ 60 the consensus of.htm